Polished Concrete
What is Polished Concrete?
Polished concrete is becoming increasingly popular among many different areas due to its no wax shine! While polished concrete can be used virtually anywhere it is incredibly popular with garage floors and warehouses for cars. These floors have great strength and durability as well as being easily maintained. There are a ton of ways to customize these floors from many different colors to sawed in patterns for a unique look. Beyond personalization, with colors and patterns, you are also in complete control of this floorings reflectivity giving another way to make it work best for your space.
Materials Used to Polish Concrete
To achieve the perfect polished concrete floor there are different tools that are necessary. Professionals carefully use these tools to achieve the desired look for polished concrete and to ensure that they are strong and beautiful. While there are many different materials used in the process of polishing concrete there are 5 tools that are absolutely essential.
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Grinders and Polishers
A grinder is important to the process of a polished floor but it’s not just about the grinder itself, a grinder with specific weight and RPM is necessary for a perfectly polished concrete floor. Grinders come in many sizes up to 36 inches and each type needed depends on the area of the surface being polished. A diamond grinder is the most common used grinder for polished concrete and having the right cutters for a diamond grinder is just as important as the grinder itself.
Diamond Tools
Having the necessary tools along side the grinder is important to a polished concrete floor. There are two main types of pad tools used within this process that are essential. Metal bond tools are used for the grinding and polishing used in preparing the floor. The resin tools then follow to polish the surface of the polished concrete floor.
Industrial Floor Vacuum
The grinding process can leave behind a lot of dust and debris that can be hazardous to your health. This is why an industrial floor vaccum is used in the polishing process to clear the way of any potentially harmful dust left over.
Hardening and Compacting Agents
All concrete surfaces use agents to harden the surface making the concrete denser. The importance of a concrete hardener is to make the concrete hard which makes the polishing process a lot smoother. COmpacting agents are used to make the concrete more dense which can give the concrete water-resistant, stain-resistant, and keep a wax free shine longer.
Coloring Agents, Dyes, and Stains
Having a plain, boring floor is a thing of the past with the many colors that can be achieved with concrete polishing. This is made possible by different dyes, stains, and coloring agents. Having these options creates a way to personalize the look of your polished concrete floor.
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What Concrete Can Be Polished
It is important to note that not all concrete is the same. Every concrete polishing job will present different conditions that have to be accounted for when looking at the possibility of polishing the concrete. The good news is for the most part, any concrete can be polished as long as it is structurally sound, even new concrete can be polished as long as it has cured for the required 28 days. All existing concrete floors require some form of surface preparation to create the perfect polished concrete floor. This preparation includes removing dirt, grease, coatings, and repairing minor blemishes. When you run into concrete that is wavy, has extensive damage, or are extremely porous, this concrete is not a good candidate for polishing. If the concrete has these problems and polishing is attempted it will never achieve the desired look or last as a good flooring option.
Grit Levels of Concrete Polishing
For polished concrete there are different grit levels that give a different look to your polished floors. There are four recognized levels that give different looks so you can achieve your perfect floor.
Level 1
Level one is known as flat and is achieved by stopping below the 100-grit resin bond. The finished look of this floor is a hazy one with little clarity.
Level 2
Level two is known as a satin finish and is achieved by stopping right below the 400-grit resin bond producing a sheen finish. With this flooring you have a low-luster, matte finish that has a slight reflection of the overhead lights.
Level 3
Level three is known as semi-polished which is a result of going up to a 800-grit or higher diamond abrasive. This finish has great light reflectivity for 30-50 feet and has a clearer, higher sheen than that of level 2.
Level 4
Level four is the highly polished finish that you get when using up to a 3000-grit resin bond diamond. This level gives such a high level of shine with such clarity that when standing directly over this floor you can see your reflection. The shine is so strong with this level that it can actually appear to be wet from different vantage points.
Process of Concrete Polishing
With concrete polishing the first and most important step is to prepare the surface to be polished. This includes cleaning and removing any type of coatings on the concrete and getting rid of dirt and debris. An initial rough grinding technique is used to help prepare the surface as needed and any minor cracks or blemished are repaired. Next the grinding process can begin where a diamond blade is used to grind down the surface. A chemical hardener is applied after this step to help harden the concrete and fortify it to keep it strong. After this, the polishing process occurs. The time it takes for the polishing and the method used is all depending on the level that you wish to achieve for your final product look. Once the polishing process is complete many professionals apply a stain guard to help protect the polished concrete surface making it easier to maintain.
Finding the Perfect Contractor for Your Polished Concrete
Concrete polishing in garages and car warehouses are perfect not only for the sleek look they provide, but the strength and easy maintenance that comes along with it. You can personalize your polished concrete floors in many different ways to make it your own and it is important to find a contractor with the knowledge and experience to bring your vision to life. The first step is to do a simple search and look at local options. Shopping online and searching for concrete contractors in your area can give a good look into local businesses that offer concrete polishing in your area and most have customer reviews you can read as well. Once you’ve narrowed down your options you can start to give these companies a call and ask the important questions in finding your perfect contractor such as license numbers, rates, scheduling, and so on. Never be afraid to ask to see a portfolio of work these contractors have done so you can get an idea if their visions align with yours to make the perfect fit. After speaking with potential candidates ask for personal references of prior clients and get your agreements in writing so that when comparing other contractors you have a solid quote and agreement.
F.A.Q.S
About Concrete Polishing
What type of maintenance is needed for polished concrete?
One of the greatest perks of having a polished concrete floor is the easy maintenance that comes with this flooring. The shine of this flooring doesn’t involve the use of waxes or polishes to maintain and the cleaning is fairly simple. Simply sweeping this floor will keep dirt and debris at bay and you can also mop with a ph-balanced cleanser. It is important to have a ph-balanced cleaner so that the cleaner isn’t too abrasive and risk dulling the shine of these beautiful floors.
How long will polished concrete last?
Making sure the proper prep work is done is important for more than just the look of this flooring but also to ensure it reaches its full life potential. Rest assured with professional installation and proper maintenance you can enjoy this flooring option for 20 years or more!
What is the estimated cost of polished concrete?
There are many different factors that go into the pricing of polished concrete floors. Pricing for these floors depends on a few different components such as the area of the space, the preparation needed for the surface, and of course anything extra such as colors, stains, or patterns. Roughly, you can look to spending anywhere from $3-$12 per square foot for your polished concrete flooring.